A Fool in April
by TheSapphireSky
Summary: "But if I haven't lost your love, I can only ask for a chance. One. To prove that I can be the man worthy of you." His heart thundered in his chest as he waited, holding his breath, for her answer.


She was stunning. Breathtaking in white satin. A ridiculously flouncy gown that hid most of her from his sight, rather like gilding the lily. But seeing her in it caused his heart to skip a beat.

She looked up and caught sight of him in the mirror. A grin spread across her face. "Sherlock!" She spun around, her skirts brushing the carpet, and quickly closed the distance between them to hug him. "I thought you were going to be gone on that case for another week, oh, but I'm so glad you made it!"

The unexpected embrace ended far to quickly and his arms felt empty when she stepped back. Her subtle makeup enhanced her natural cream complexion and she had done something to her eyes that made them seem bigger and more brown than he remembered.

"Did you solve it?" She continued speaking excitedly unaware of how she had affected him so. "That must be a record for you, solving a 9 in less than a-"

"I love you."

'-week…" Her voice trailed off and her smiled dropped at his hoarse plea. A frown formed on her face and she stepped back. "What?"

"I love you." He repeated, stronger and more sure.

Molly's eyes widened. A flush, whether of anger or shock, began to spread across her bared clavicle, rising up her neck to color her cheeks. Words seemed to fail her and she gaped at him.

He swallowed nervously and cleared his throat. "Please. Say something."

Blinking rapidly, Molly broke out of her shock and her eyes blazed bright with fury. She spoke low and evenly, dangerously, her hands clenched at her sides. "If this is some kind of April Fool's joke, so help me, Sherlock Holmes-"

"It is not a joke," he did not hesitate to cut her off, casting aside the confusion over why it would particularly be a joke belonging to an April fool.

She glowered. "Then you sure have lousy timing, Sherlock Holmes. Seven years and you decide _now_ is the time to declare your love? When I am _minutes_ away from marrying another man?!"

"I know." He ignored the flood of shame at how much time, so much time, he had wasted being an idiotic coward. Instead, he poured every ounce of love he'd hidden away into his words, praying he wasn't too late. "And I am truly sorry. But I have far too many regrets in this life. Losing you would be the greatest one."

She was shaking, her fingers trembling as she stared at him.

"If you can tell me without a single doubt that you no longer love me and that marrying that…that _moron_ is what you want, I will bury my feelings once more and never let them out."

 _Please._ It would break him to lose her, but he knew it would be his own doing.

She didn't say anything and he chanced a step closer, his heart thundering in his ears.

"But if I haven't lost your love, I can only ask for a chance. One. To prove that I can be the man worthy of you."

His heart thundered in his chest as he waited, holding his breath, for her answer.

oOo

It was nearly time to begin. Greg checked his watch then readjusted his tie before knocking on the door to the bride's ready room.

"Molly, are you ready?"

There was no answer. He knocked again.

"Molly, it's time. You decent?"

He smirked to himself, but his mirth faded when there was still no response. Immediately, his police training came to the forefront and he gripped the handle of the gun he had snuck under his suit (a precaution after the Watson wedding).

He tested the handle and found no resistance. Slowly, he opened the door.

"Molly, is everything-oh!" He stopped in surprise and blinked at the sight before him.

Lit by the sun shining through the gauzy white curtains, Molly was wrapped in a passionate embrace with a man. And considering her groom was waiting impatiently at the front of the church, Greg was certain it wasn't him.

Based on the curly hair and tall form, Greg easily deduced who the idiot was who had swept in last minute to steal the bride away.

He smiled and quietly shut the door, pausing for a moment to shake his head.

 _About time, mate._

He chuckled to himself and shoved his hands in the pockets of his suit before loping away, whistling a jaunty tune.

He only hoped the idiot had the sense to have a car ready for a quick getaway.

oOo

As the door closed behind Lestrade, Molly broke their kiss with a happy hum.

Sherlock could not look away from her, taking in the dazed, starry look in her eyes, the flush of her cheeks and their warmth against the palms of his hands, and her kiss-plumped lips.

But then her face fell slightly. "What about Tom? I-I cant just leave him at the altar."

She started to pull away, but Sherlock caught her fast around the waist and held her tight with a pout on his face.

"Gregorio will handle it. And besides, your groom-to-be has been engaging in a little hanky-panky with his secretary. Your marriage would have been brief anyway."

Mouth agape, Molly flushed red, clearly unsure if she was angry with Tom or with Sherlock for almost letting her go through with it.

Before she had time to decide, Sherlock kissed her passionately until she was limp in his arms. He smiled into the kiss, looking forward to many years of kissing her to get out of trouble.

It wasn't until they heard a clamoring in the hall that they finally broke apart. Hearing Tom's furious shout, Sherlock grabbed Molly's hand and they ran toward the window.

Sherlock leapt down first and turned back to catch his runaway bride. Then, hand in hand, they sprinted for the black unmarked car Sherlock had stolen from Mycroft, laughing all the while.

They dropped in and Sherlock peeled away from the curb just as Tom and the guests (notably a gruntled secretary) spilled out of the church. Breathless and nearly lost in a sea of white satin, Molly leaned back and smiled, a weight she hadn't known she had been carrying off of her chest.

"Life with you is going to involve a lot of running, isn't it?"

Sherlock looked over at her and smiled. "Probably. But it will certainly never be boring."

She laughed and reached for his hand, threading her fingers between his. As the church grew distant, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. His foolishness had almost cost him his last chance. But he wasn't going to lose her again.

Turning onto the motorway, he pointed them in the direction of his parent's cottage. Where Nana's ring was stashed in the family safe.

He smirked. Mummy and Dad were sure to be surprised to see him pull up with a bride in the car.


End file.
